


Pregnancy-Oh Joy!

by LitChick88 (CapaldiGirl88)



Category: Impractical Jokers, the tenderloins
Genre: Arguing, F/M, Hormones, Love, Marriage, Pregnancy, Romance, Sex, relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-07
Updated: 2016-09-25
Packaged: 2018-07-12 18:51:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 17,326
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7118275
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CapaldiGirl88/pseuds/LitChick88
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sal and Nic are back as we explore Nic's pregnancy with Finnley and then the first year of our favourite mini Joker.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. 12 Weeks

12 Weeks Pregnant.

The sun filtered into the bedroom weakly, shining over the two occupant of the large bed, however only one of them was actually asleep. With the duvet pooled at her feet, Nic enjoyed the coolness of the room as she rubbed a hand over her aching stomach, willing the nausea to go away without having to actually hug the toilet bowl.  
“Mmcold.” Nic turned her head to stare at the naked back of her husband and had to swallow down the bitter retort she could feel clawing its way up her throat. With a sigh she pulled up the duvet and covered his naked back, however the movements caused her stomach to lurch and she quickly found herself running to the ensuite, her face once more buried in the porcelain bowl she had become so familiar with in the last two weeks, clearly being twelve weeks pregnant wasn't agreeing with her and she wasn't sure how long her morning sickness would last.  
“Babe?” Nic rested her head against the seat of the toilet and closed her eyes when she heard the sound of Sal’s feet on the wooden floor of their bedroom.  
“Yeah?” She muttered weakly, trying to fight off the urge to heave.  
“You okay?” He asked and Nic opened her eyes enough to see him stood in the doorway of the ensuite, wearing nothing but his boxer shorts and a sleepy look on his face.  
“No, your child is trying to kill me. Death by morning sickness.” Sal chuckled softly however Nic knew that he wouldn't venture any closer into the room whilst she was laid on the toilet or whilst she was vomiting; he loved her but his germaphobia had to draw the line somewhere.  
After brushing her teeth, Nic crawled back into bed and curled up against Sal’s back, sliding her hand around his waist, her thumb tucking itself into the waistband of his boxer shorts as she pressed a soft kiss to his warm skin.  
“Love you.” She murmured, smiling into his skin when she felt his hand come to rest over hers before they drifted off to sleep once more, Nic now feeling a little better after emptying her stomach.   
Not an hour later Nic found herself once more wide awake however this time she had managed to keep her stomach under control, only for her bladder to start. This was her third trip to the bathroom since she had gone to bed and the lack of sleep, coupled with her already extreme tiredness was making her a grumpy bunny. Throwing back the covers once more she climbed out of bed and again almost ran to the ensuite, quickly sitting herself on the toilet before emptying her bladder, sighing in relief and satisfaction. She tiredly rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and blearily stared around the bathroom however she focused her pale blue gaze on the closed bathroom door as she listened to her husband as he climbed form the bed and padded closer towards her.  
“Hurry up I need to pee.” Sal grumbled from the closed door of the ensuite and Nic tutted in annoyance however didn't speed up any of her actions. She realised that they either needed another bathroom or she needed to learn how to climb out of bed like a ninja so she didn't disturb him.  
“Nic?” Sal questioned, wondering what was taking his wife so long and Nic found that she couldn't keep her mouth shut any longer.  
“Give me a minute.” She growled before flushing the chain and then almost tearing open the door, giving her husband a glare that would usually make him pale in fear, however he was just as bleary eyed as she was so it didn't have the desired effect.  
“There!” She spat as she passed him and violently shrugged off his attempt at putting his hand on her shoulder.  
“Get off me!” Sal immediately withdrew his hand like he had been burned and stepped into the bathroom, needing to relieve himself before he confronted his clearly possessed and now demonic wife.  
“Babe you okay?” Sal asked the small lump under the duvet when he came out of the ensuite however received no reply, although he knew she wasn't asleep as he could see her legs shifting, trying to find a comfortable position.   
“Nic come on.”  
“Fuck off.” She muttered, her voice muffled by the duvet but Sal wasn't going to accept that, not knowing what he had done to set his wife off.  
“Come on don't be daft.” Sal murmured as he slid into bed, pressing his front against Nic’s warm back, enjoying the fact that she was only wearing one of his large t shirts and nothing else. He curled an arm around her waist and pressed his body closer, moulding his boxer clad crotch to her naked behind and grinning to himself in the pale light of the room when he felt her wiggle slightly at the contact.  
“I love you.” He murmured into her auburn hair, pressing a kiss against the back of her neck before sliding his hand across her stomach, his large palm spanning the expanse of her very slightly swollen stomach- it wasn't showing enough that anyone would notice but Sal knew her body probably better that she did and could feel the slight change in her abdomen.  
“You're getting a bump.” He murmured into her hair, his fingers stretching out that little bit more to encompass her flesh, smiling into the soft skin of her neck when he felt her shake her head.  
“Don't be daft,” She scoffed, turning herself onto her back to stare at her husband in the weak light of the room, however found herself blown away by the look of love and happiness she could see shining from his sludgy green orbs.  
“It’s tiny but it’s there. Proof that you're nurturing my child inside there…our first child.” Sal leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to his wife’s lips, coaxing them apart ever so gently with his tongue. The languid movement of their wet, willing muscles allowed them to explore their emotions, Nic’s arm coming to wrap around Sal’s neck, her fingers carding softly though the dark hair on his head, keeping his lips close to hers. Meanwhile Sal’s hand never strayed from its position on her stomach, an already overwhelming amount of love surging from him, to his unborn child.


	2. 20 weeks pregnant

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nic is having an emotional moment and Sal manages to take her mind off things.

20 Weeks pregnant.

“Babe you ready?” Sal asked as he observed himself in the mirror, running a hand through his dark hair as his eyes darted repeatedly to the bathroom door, wondering what was taking his wife so long.  
“I'm not going!” Nic grumbled through the bathroom door and Sal sighed before heading to the door, knocking lightly on the wood.  
“What’s wrong?” Sal watched as the bathroom door opened a little and Sal was confronted by the tears face of his wife.  
“I’m hideous…I’m staying in.” She sobbed however Sal had a rough idea as to what had happened and gently pushed against the door until he could see his wife in all her entirety, stood in a pair of pale green lace panties, a white vest stretched across her growing bump.  
“You're fucking gorgeous!” Sal breathed as he stepped fully into the bathroom, however his eyes quickly noted the pair of jeans that were laid in a pile underneath the sink.  
“Sal don't.” Nic murmured but Sal pressed forward and wrapped a long arm around her waist, his fingers spanning across the side of her bump whilst his other hand gently grasped her chin between his thumb and forefinger.  
“I love you. Believe me, you're gorgeous.” He murmured before lowering his head and pressing his lips against her on, tasting the salt from her tears as he swiped his tongue along her pouty bottom lip, moaning softly when her mouth opened underneath his probing.   
After a couple of minutes plundering each other’s mouths, Sal pulled back- pressing a last lingering peck on her lips- and stared into her pale blue eyes.   
“Wanna tell me what’s wrong now baby?” Sal asked, his large hand cupping her soft, tear-stained cheek.   
“You’ll think it’s silly.”Nic pouted but Sal only smiled encouragingly.  
“Come on babe, it can't be silly if it made you cry like this.” He murmured.  
“I’ve got stretch marks and my jeans don't fit.” She moaned and made to turn away from Sal however he could see exactly what Nic was about to do and held tighter onto her cheeks.  
“Don't turn away from me… I want to see my beautiful wife.”   
“I’ve got stretch marks!” She stated as if that would explain everything so Sal raised an eyebrow.  
“Show me.” He asked and then watched with heated eyes as she lifted up the white vest stretched over her growing bump.   
“There look.” She murmured, staring down at her lightly tanned, very slightly expanded stomach, pointing to her left hip. Sal smiled and knelt before his wife, eye level with her hip and the supposed offending stretch mark.   
There, in the slight hollow between her growing bump and her hip bone was a small cluster of stretch marks, no longer than a match stick and no wider either.   
“Baby they're tiny.”   
“But they're still there and I'm only gonna get more.” She whined however she quickly stopped when she felt Sal’s hands smooth their way over her hips, his long fingers teasing the edge of her lace panties.   
“We’ll get some cream or something and I can rub it into your bump every night so you don't get any more, how does that sound?” Nic nodded at her husband and then carded her fingers through his short hair, smiling softly as she watched him press his stubbled lips to her growing bump.   
“I can't believe you’re growing my baby in there.” Sal murmured in awe, his large hands now framing her bump.  
“I can't believe it either.” Nic grinned however her grin was quickly replaced by a moan when Sal’s lips moved lower and brushed her lower stomach whilst his fingers edged down her panties.   
“I thought we were going to be late.” Nic muttered however she couldn't really care, she would much rather have her husband on his knees with his lips very close to her intimate area.   
“I’ve got more important things on at the moment.” Sal murmured and Nic gasped as Sal pulled down her lace panties, letting them rest against her knees before running his lips further down, his stubble prickling the bare skin of her mound.  
“God you're amazing.” Sal murmured as he proceeded to move his mouth lower and attempted to wide his wife’s legs only to find his movements hampered by the scrap of green lace currently holding her knees together.  
“Let’s remove these I think.” He muttered to himself however as he started to peel the lace all the way down her legs, Nic ran her hand once more through his hair and then grasped it between her fingers, causing him to look up at her.  
“We haven't really got time for this baby.” Nic warned, however at the feral grin Sal gave her, she knew that he knew what he was doing.  
“Wife…there is always time for this.” Throwing away the scrap of lace, Sal now had unrestricted access to the soft, warm pussy of his wife.   
As he knelt on the floor, he looked up at his wife and felt both his heart and his cock swell at the sight; she was physically beautiful but she was also beautiful inside too, and the deal was made even sweeter by the fact that she was now stood in front of him, naked from the waist down whilst blooming in the second trimester of her pregnancy with their first child.   
Knowing that things would get a little unstable, Sal grinned up at Nic before manoeuvring her around to lean against the sink, enjoying the light gasps he made as the warm skin of her behind met the cool porcelain of the unit.   
Shuffling on his knees towards her, Sal took up the space between her legs, his strong hands grasping her knee to move her leg over his shoulder and Nic suddenly liked where this appeared to be going. With a raise of his eyebrow, he then raised his chin in acknowledgement before pressing his face between her thighs, the feel of his stubble on the sensitive skin of her bare outer lips making her groan however the moment his tongue flicked her swollen nub she gripped the edge of the sink to stop her knees collapsing.   
“Fuck.” Gasped Nic, her knees automatically widening as she lowered her hips, pressing closer to his mouth and Sal needed no encouragement to taste his wife’s nectar; his hands cupping her buttocks, grabbing the soft flesh and pressing her closer to his mouth. His lips clamped around her clit as his tongue flicked mercilessly, the waves of pleasure threatening to make Nic tumble as her knees and arms shook. The sensation was totally overwhelming.   
Never stopping the torturous motion on her clit, Nic’s eyes rolled back into her head as she felt him move one hand from her ass cheek, however any wonderment about where his hand was going was immediately quashed when two long digits entered her already sopping channel. Nic couldn't stifle the cry that crawled up her throat at the sensations her husband was causing. The feel of her throbbing clit being tortured and her husband’s fingers curling so expertly inside her, his fingertips brushing the sweet spot inside that made her want to combust.  
“S…Sal…Oh God!” Nic cried and the guttural moans seemed to spur him on, his suckle becoming stronger and his fingers work faster until suddenly Nic went rigid, her body exploding with pleasure; every part of her suddenly didn't belong- she ceased to exist in human form and suddenly became a mass of electric shocks and sparks and hot waves of pleasure. Black spots appeared before her eyes, her ears became muffled as she howled, a pure primal howl of ecstasy; her body losing control- wetness ran down her thighs, somewhere in the background she heard a long drawn out groan that didn't belong to her but it didn't really register as she tried to bring herself back to earth. Nic’s fingers cramped and it was only then that she realised just how hard she had gripped the sink.  
Nic gasped like a fish, needing more air than was available in the room. As she looked down she saw Sal still between her legs, however now he was sat on the bathroom floor, grinning as he watched his wife come back to earth. Nic almost blushed as she stared at her flashed husband, her orgasm covering his face, the almost creamy liquid shining on his stubbled skin. His chest was heaving and his eyes were hot and Nic knew that she loved this man wholeheartedly.  
“I love you.” She murmured, extending one shaky hand to stroke his warm skin, the prickles of his stubble tingling her finger tips and she couldn't help but smile softly when he pressed his face further into her hand, much the same way a cat would.   
“I love you too, so much.” Sal murmured, his sludgy green orbs hot with love and lust. Nic grinned before gesturing down to his crotch however she didn't see the usually straining lump that would have usually greeted her so looked at her husband quizzically.  
“Not want me to help with that?” She asked and the blush that suddenly took over his face had her taking a moment to revel in pride.  
“No need…I…I err…well I… came in my pants… like a teenage boy. You looked so fucking sexy when you came, your orgasm running down my face and filling my mouth, I couldn't help myself.” He admitted and Nic glowed with pride, knowing that she could affect Sal in such a way.  
“I can't stand any longer.” Nic murmured and Sal smiled as Nic melted down into his lap, her sodden core staining the front of his already stained trousers- her arms snaking around his neck, her baby bump nestling against Sal’s stomach.   
“Been a while since I've made you come like a teenager.” Nic chuckled, her fingers toying with the short dark hairs at the back of Sal’s neck, pressing a soft kiss to his lips as another soft blush stained his cheeks.  
“Mmm you taste of me.” Nic murmured and Sal found his eyes glued to Nic’s mouth as her tongue darted out to lick her essence from her pouty bottom lip; Sal groaned at the sight and then huffed out a slightly surprised breath when she pulled his face closer to hers before capturing his lips, her kisses possessive and domineering. Her tongue possessed his mouth, exploring and battling with his; his stubble scratching her face however the burn felt good on her skin as she pressed their faces closer still, the pair of them breathing harshly as passion overwhelmed them once more.   
The sound of a phone ringing in the distance brought the couple out of their passionate stupor, and they both shared a guilty look before they began to giggle like school kids.  
“That will be Murr.” Nic murmured however she felt very loath the leave her position on Sal’s lap however she could see that her husband was beginning to look a little guilty.  
“Maybe we should get sorted and meet the guys?” Nic muttered, unwinding her arms from Sal’s neck and praying that her legs would hold her weight, her knees still not feeling too steady from her earlier orgasm.  
“I don't actually want to go anywhere except into bed with you…maybe via the shower.” Sal murmured and Nic grinned, winding her arms back around her husband's neck and pressing a soft kiss to his lips.  
“I’m fine with that. I’ll ring Bessie and say I'm not feeling too good. Why don't you run a bath and we can share?” Sal grinned before helping his wife to stand from his lap and then standing up himself to start the bath running, grimacing as the cooling mess inside his boxer shorts was now pressing against his skin.   
As he watched Nic walk back into the bedroom, wearing nothing but her vest still pushed up over her bump he grinned and palmed his crotch, which was now starting to take notice once more.


	3. 28 weeks pregnant

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sal and Nic discuss baby names

28 Weeks Pregnant  
Feeling the size of an elephant, Nic groaned as she rolled over in bed. The room was quiet and dark, the only sound being the snores coming from Sal. Nic scooted as close to her husband as she could however sighed in the quiet of the room as her large bump nestled into the bottom of his back, yet she was still too far away from him to snuggle up properly.   
Her left hand settled over his hip, the skin warm under her fingertips as she worked them under the waistband of his boxers, content in a small way that she had contact with him, even if he was asleep. Closing her eyes once more, Nic tried to content herself with the feel and smell of her sleeping husband however her eyes flew open when she felt a strong kick come from within. Removing her hand from Sal’s hip, she rubbed it over her enlarged stomach, trying to calm the baby growing inside however it was clearly having none of it and therefore kicked again, strong enough to make her gasp.  
“Oww!” Nic murmured to her bump, pressing her hand a little harder against her skin, trying to soothe the little body within however her little one was determined to ruin her nights sleep and proceeded to spend its time beating the crap out of her insides.   
A soft sleepy chuckle filled the quiet of the room and Nic’s eyes darted to her husband, the noise sounding so unfamiliar in the silence of the room. The bed groaned under Sal’s weight as he turned, careful of Nic’s bump and their baby who was beating up the small of his back.   
“Hey baby.” Nic murmured softly, a hand coming to brush through his unruly hair as he looked at her in the dark light of the room, his sleepy eyes mere slits as he regarded his wife who appeared more awake than he would have liked at this ungodly hour of the morning.  
“That has to hurt.” Sal muttered, gesturing to her bump and taking note of the slight grimaces she gave when she felt the kicks.  
“It’s uncomfortable I won't lie.” She admitted and once more Sal chuckled softly before leaning over to press a kiss to her lips, his hand moving to cup her cheek and prolong the contact.  
“I could feel him kicking me. The kid’s not even born yet and already he is disturbing my sleep.” Sal laughed and brought his large hand to settle over Nic’s bump, his hand rubbing her t shirt covered skin in wide circles and receiving a small moan of contentment from Nic yet receiving a sharp kick to the hand from his child.  
“Excuse me a moment honey, I need to have a few words with our son.” Sal grinned however Nic tutted but still ran her hand across his stubble covered cheek.  
“Sal it might be a girl.” She warned however her husband, as usual, wasn't accepting this fact and refused to believe that their child could be anything other than a boy and as such had been referring to her bump as ‘he’ from around her twentieth week.   
Sal shuffled a little further down the bed and pushed Nic’s over sized t shirt up and over her bump, settling it just below her ever expanding breasts and then laying his head on her bump, his ear pressed to her skin and a large arm across her hips, his fingers lightly stroking the soft skin there.  
“Right son, this is your daddy speaking. We need to have a little chat.” Sal began and Nic chuckled as his stubbled lips tickled her skin however she did enjoy the feeling of Sal’s warm breath as it danced across her bump. Nic once more carded her fingers through her husband’s hair and settled back into her pillows, smiling when her unborn child went from kicking out her insides to moving around softly, giving her a fluttery feeling.   
“Right kiddo, the thing is your mummy needs her sleep or she gets really grumpy and when she gets really grumpy she tries to kill daddy.” Sal whispered loudly however they both giggled once Nic had playfully tugged at his dark strands.  
“Mummy can also withhold sex if daddy gets too big for his boots.” Nic also whispered loudly, making her husband whine like a child .  
“I’ll be good I promise.” Sal muttered before turning his attention back to his unborn child.  
“Right where was I? Oh yeah…right you gotta start sleeping when mummy does…and daddy… because as much as I love you bud I'm not too fond of having my back kicked in.” Sal chuckled, pressing a soft kiss to the fluttering skin underneath his lips, pleased that his son had stopped kicking and was now apparently enjoying the sound of his daddy’s voice.   
“And another thing… Mummy thinks you're a girl but I know you're a boy…cos boys are cool and we’re gonna be a team…a boys only club.” At his last statement Sal felt a kick under his chin and grinned at Nic’s bump, enjoying the fact that he was communicating with his unborn child and they appeared to be communicating back.  
“Sal bed time baby, you have to be up early and it’s pushing…four am.” Nic murmured, as she glanced at Sal’s bedside clock however she was enjoying Sal’s new paternal side immensely, her heart swelling as she listened to him, her fingers now softly stroking the back of his neck and the tops of his shoulders, just enjoying the feel of her husband under her hands.   
“Right dude, daddy has to go. Mummy is giving me a bedtime and I have to obey…I sort of promised to when I married her.” Sal whispered to the bump and again received a hearty kick to his chin. He pressed a series of soft kisses to Nic’s enlarged skin before giving it a final caress and then laying back down to face his wife, enjoying the smile on her face and matching it with her own.  
“It could be a girl you know.” Nic pointed out to Sal, a smirk on her face however she had to chuckle as Sal vehemently shook his head.  
“He told me he was a boy.” Sal proclaimed before cuddling up to Nic and wrapping a long arm around her bump.  
“Right mister sleep time.” Nic scolded playfully and Sal could only nod, the heat and comfort his wife and unborn child supplied already making his eyes close and his breathing even.  
“Mmmloveyou.” Sal murmured and Nic grinned, a tear rolling down the side of her face and onto the pillow, her husband’s words of love sending her hormones into overdrive.

Two nights later saw Sal and Nic sitting either end of the sofa, the pair of them with a baby name book in their hands.  
“What about Austin?” Sal asked, his glasses perched on the end of his nose as he looked over them to gauge his wife’s reaction to the name he liked in the book.  
“No.” Nic stated, immediately shooting down his idea, “How about Elijah?”  
“Not in a million years.” Sal stated, his eyebrows dipping in disapproval at the name.  
“Are you considering girls names as well?” Nic asked her husband as she stretched out her legs, settling her chilly toes underneath Sal’s thighs, which made Sal a little nervous as they were very close to his balls and one swift move in the wrong direction would have him begging for mercy.   
“It’s a boy I'm telling you.” Sal stated and grinned when Nic tutted and rolled her eyes.  
“Well if you had let me find out then we wouldn't be having this problem would we?” She grumbled and Sal couldn't help but laugh at the pitiful look on her face.  
“What about Arthur?”  
“No…that's an old name.” Nic murmured, her face still in her book however her head did raise when Sal gave his next suggestion.  
“What about Ellis? Ellis Vulcano sounds nice.”  
“No because it would sound silly with Edward. We can't have Ellis Edward Anthony, that's too many vowels.” Nic reasoned which caused Sal’s eyebrow to raise questioningly.  
“Where do Edward and Anthony come from?” He asked and Nic lowered her book down onto her lap with a sigh, which told Sal that he should have known immediately what she was talking about, however this time he was at a loss.  
“Your middle names.” She replied, rolling her eyes as if Sal was clearly the densest man she had ever met.  
“But he won't have my middle names.”  
“Yes he will.”  
“No he won't…I don't want him to.” Sal muttered However one look at his wife told him immediately that he had made the wrong choice.  
“And why not?” Nic asked incredulously, closing the baby name book a little harder than was strictly necessary.   
“Because those are my middle names.” Sal tried to explain however he didn't get far before Nic immediately jumped on the defensive.  
“So what? Is my baby not good enough to have your middle names?”  
“That’s not what I’m saying Nic, don't be stupid.”  
“Oh so now I'm stupid as well. That’s fine. I’ll just take my stupid self and my baby and get out of your way.”  
“Come on don't do this. Let me explain.” Sal tried to reason however it was too late as tears now streamed down Nic’s face as she heaved herself up from the sofa. Sal reached over and placed his hand on her wrist, trying to keep her seated on the sofa but he quickly removed his hand when she growled at him.  
“I’m going out. I don't want to look at you.” She half sobbed before waddling to the hallway to slip her feet into her converse, yet Sal couldn't help but think just how amazing she looked wearing knee length loose cotton shorts, a pale blue vest stretched across her huge bump and a pair of converse on her feet- the only thing that didn't complete the look was her tear stained face and the pure hatred currently shining from her pale blue eyes.   
“Will you just stop? You know I didn't mean it like that. Stop overreacting.” Sal stated as he stood up, making his way to his clearly hormonal wife, wanting to just take her in his arms and hold her.  
“Stay away from me.” She seethed, slipping her arms into his overly large fleece jacket, which now just fit around her bump, before grabbing the car key from the side table.  
“Where are you going?”  
“Me and my baby are going away from you? Clearly we’re not good enough to be in your presence.”  
“It’s my baby too.” Sal spat, his anxiety heightened as he watched his wife attempt to leave their house dressed in only her pyjamas and his jacket, her bump protruding and her face still tear stained. 

Sal sat on the bottom stair of the staircase, facing the front door- the house totally silent except for the faint murmurings coming from the tv in the living room. Sal had his head in his hands, his body curled almost in a foetal position as he replayed the events of the evening over and over in his head.   
Sal wasn't sure how long he had been sat on the bottom stair, lost in his own world of anxiety and almost leapt from the step when his phone began ringing in his pocket. Praying it was Nic he grabbed it but sighed when he saw that the caller ID was Joe.   
“Hey.” Sal greeted unenthusiastically as he answered the phone, not really in the mood to listen to his best friend when his heavily pregnant wife was currently out driving in her pyjamas whilst very emotionally distressed.   
“Hey buddy… How's you?” Joe asked and Sal grumbled before admitting he was feeling shitty.  
“Well that’s good because I currently have your wife on my sofa crying her eyes out in my wife’s arms. Want to come and get her?”   
“I don't think she wants me anywhere near her to be honest dude.” Sal admitted, a statement which was confirmed in the background of the phone call by his wife.  
“She’s gonna stay here tonight mate and then you guys can sort this out in the morning. That okay?” Joe queried, into liking the despair he could hear in his best friend’s voice.  
“That’s fine. Do me a favour Joey, tell her I’m sorry and that I love her and our baby more than anything.”  
“Will do mate. Try and sleep. Things will all be better in the morning.” Joe stated optimistically before hanging up the phone and once more leaving his best friend to sit staring at his own front door, a single lonely tear making its way down Sal’s stubbled cheek.


	4. Still 28 weeks pregnant

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A resolution to the argument and a little bit of reasoning.

Still 28 weeks pregnant.

Sitting up, Nic stared around the room, momentarily disorientated as she didn't recognise any of the furniture and she was alone- however the events of the evening before came flooding back and she couldn't help the whimper that escaped her.   
Reaching across to the bedside table, Nic picked up her phone and sighed when she saw that it was after three, but also noted that she had a text message.

Sender: Sal  
Message: I’m sorry X

Nic looked at the time of the message and noted that it was sent a little after midnight, she had already cried herself to sleep by then, and pressed reply before staring at the blank message space for what felt like an eternity.  
Cancelling the message she laid her phone down on her bump and chewed her thumbnail, her heart telling her that she needed to make things right with her husband however her brain was stuck on the fact that he didn't want their child to have his middle names. She knew that Sal took pride in his name, a good strong family name, so she couldn't quite understand why he didn't want his child to bear some of the Vulcano naming legacy.  
Picking her phone back up she brought up another message and began to type.

Recipient: Sal  
Message: We should talk 

She sent the message before she bottled it once more and then laid her phone on the pillow next to her, before shuffling down the bed, a hand splayed over her bump- almost missing the constant kicking of her little one, clearly it knew that mummy and daddy were fighting.   
The pillow beside her vibrated and within milliseconds she had the device in her hand.

Sender: Sal  
Message: Are you okay? Is the baby okay? X

Sender: Nic  
Message: Am fine. So is baby. Tomorrow we need to talk.

Sender: Sal  
Message: I'm sorry, I overreacted. But we can talk. Are you coming home? X

Sender: Nic  
Message: I’ll see you tomorrow. 

Sender: Sal  
Message: Get some sleep baby. I love you xx

Nic sighed and placed her phone back on the pillow next to her, not replying because she didn't know what to say. She wanted to stay mad at him but she was hormonal, very pregnant and very much in love with her husband and considering everything they had been through, she was pretty sure that once the hurt feelings were out of the way, then they would carry on and everything would be back to normal. 

 

Waking up the next morning, Nic rubbed her eyes and groaned as she felt the throbbing in her head, an unfortunate side effect of crying herself to sleep. She checked her phone and upon seeing no new messages she decided that she would have to head home and face the music.   
Entering the living room, Nic smiled softly when she saw Bessy- Joe’s wife- sitting on the sofa reading a magazine. Upon hearing footsteps, Bessy turned and grinned back at Nic, her eyes shining as she eyed her pregnant ‘sister-in-law’.   
“Hey sweetie, how did you sleep?”  
“Okay I guess. Cried myself to sleep, woke up around three, had a bit of conversation with Sal over text and then woke up about fifteen minutes ago.” Bessy smiled encouragingly at Nic before patting the space next to her on the sofa.  
“Come on honey. Have a seat.” Nic sat herself beside Bessy and leaned her aching head on the brunette’s shoulder.  
“Oh Bess, what do I do?” Bessy rested her head atop of Nic’s and sighed, trying to imagine how she would feel if she had fallen out with Joe and they had slept apart, both angry with each other.   
“You go home and make it up with him. Listen to what he has to say Hun and then try and give your side. You’ll work it out you both just need to listen to each other.” Bessy advised, smiling softly at Nic when she raised her head, her pale blue eyes filled with tears.  
“Thanks Bess. And thank Joe for me too. Tell him we’ll schedule dinner later in the week.” Nic planned before heaving herself up from the sofa and heading for her car, collecting her keys from the side table on her way out.  
Pulling up outside, Nic spent a couple of moments taking deep breaths and steeling herself for the conversation she knew was coming. She dried her eyes in the rear view mirror and then grabbed her phone and keys before exiting and locking the car, pulling Sal’s fleece tighter around her to ward off the slight chill of the morning.   
Entering the house, Nic kicked off her converse and shrugged off Sal’s fleece, hanging it up before moving silently up the stairs, hoping that Sal was still asleep. When she entered the bedroom she saw that Sal was asleep in bed, however he was on her side of the bed and Nic couldn't help but smile softly before creeping over to Sal’s unused side of the bed and laying herself down as silently and as carefully as she could considering her bump. She faced him and her smiled widened before she froze as he moaned and then shuffled, his long dark eyelashes fluttering before they opened just a crack.  
“Nic?”   
“Shhh!” She tried to get him to go back to sleep however she couldn't help but roll her eyes as his eyes opened wider.  
“I’m so sorry baby…” Sal began however Nic quickly cut him off.  
“Can we talk about this later, right this moment I just need my husband to hold me.” Nic murmured and felt tears pool in her eyes when Sal nodded and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer to his body, her head tucked under his chin and the scent of his surrounding her, calming her nerves and soothing her soul.

Two hours later saw Sal and Nic once more sitting on the sofa, replicating the same positions they had when their original argument broke out, and both occupants seemed a little apprehensive about the forthcoming talk, which was a little ridiculous considering they were married and had been together for a number of years.   
“Do you want to go first?” Sal asked, his sludgy green orbs slightly shiny as he regarded his wife. Nic shrugged at Sal’s offer and although she didn't particularly want to go first with regards to this conversation, she knew that she would have to make a start because Sal wouldn't.   
“Well I guess I’ll have to start…I err…I just want to know why you didn't want our baby to have your middle names?” She stared at her husband and watched as he thought about her question, chewing on his plump bottom lip.  
“I honestly don't know…”  
“Sal come on…”  
“Honestly I don't know…I was thinking that he should be his own person, without the trappings of all those names…and I’d hope…no…it’s stupid.” Sal trailed off and Nic’s eyes looked up sharply to see Sal once more chewing his lip.  
“Sal come on, you know we’re always honest with each other.” Nic stared wide eyed at her husband and watched as he grew more and more anxious about answering.   
“I…I erm…oh fuck…I had a moment of panic that if he had my names then he would turn out to be a frightened anxious waste of time.” Nic’s brows lowered as she took in Sal’s words, her heart breaking at his words, she had thought that they had managed to work through a lot of Sal’s issues however clearly this was something which he had managed to ingrain into his fibre.  
“Sal look at me honey.” Nic murmured, trying to catch Sal’s eye but he kept his gaze in his lap.  
“Sal our child is going to be amazing because you're his daddy. You're going to teach him how to be a person and he will look at you with such love, you will be the guy he worships above all others.” Nic murmured, shuffling closer to Sal until their knees touched and she could lean forward and grasp his stubbled chin lightly. She lifted his head and locked her pale blue eyes with his watery green ones.  
“You can't know that.” Sal muttered but Nic only nodded, smiling softly; she knew that Sal would be a terrific dad and she only hoped that he would realise that their baby will be a completely unbiased human for him to imprint on, a person with no illusions or pre conceptions of Sal.   
“Look just so we can get this over with…I’m sorry I walked out last night, I was stressed and hormonal and clearly wasn't thinking straight.”  
“I’m sorry too…you leaving was my fault…I should have done more and I shouldn't have provoked you.” Nic smiled softly and nodded however melted immediately when Sal leant forward and wrapped his long arms around her, allowing her to rest her head on his shoulder, burying her face into the warm stubbled skin of his neck.   
“Maybe we should work on a name another time?” Sal chuckled after a moment and felt his heart lift from his stomach- where it had been since yesterday- at the sound of her slight chuckle; he had a feeling he was on the right track to making things better with his wife.


	5. 34 weeks pregnant

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sal and Nic go shopping and Brian offers some support and comfort to Nic.

34 weeks pregnant

“Right so do you want the fresh lime pastel or the moonshine mystique?” Sal asked, turning to watch his heavily pregnant wife read the page of the nursery brochure whilst the other rubbed soothing circles across her distended stomach.  
“The brochure says that the colours on this are river pebble and baby moss…but I’m not sure.” She nibbled on her bottom lip as she looked from the brochure to the tins of paint stacked in what seemed like endless rows.  
“I don't like the river pebble.” Sal murmured as he moved to stand behind Nic, resting his stubbled chin on her shoulder, a long arm coming to rest around her waist.  
“Well why don't we have the pale cotton brush with the baby moss? Then we can get the dark wood furniture you wanted and then we can go pick out a nursery set for the crib and curtains.” Sal murmured, his breath brushing the side of her cheek, her eyes closing at the sensation.   
“Kiss me.” Nic breathed, turning her head towards Sal and not caring that they were in the middle of Babies R Us.   
“We’re in the middle of a department store.” Sal replied, wide eyed, as he looked around the aisle before turning back to Nic and getting lost in her pale blue eyes.  
“Please.” She whispered, her lips mere millimetres from his and then moaned when he leant forward and pressed his lips to hers, allowing it to last a little longer than a brief peck in the hopes of it lasting her until they could buy the rest of their furniture for the nursery. Sal never thought he would ever complain about Nic wanting to be intimate all the time however he was feeling a little worn out.  
“Can we have another look at the nursery sets again before we finalise the paint?” Nic asked and Sal found he couldn't resist her pleading eyes, especially when she stood rubbing away the ache from their son kicking her insides.  
“Of course baby.” Sal murmured before placing his hand in the centre of her back and gently guiding her to the other aisle, his fingers rubbing soothingly at the muscles there.

Standing behind Nic, he smiled softly as he looked down at her auburn hair and pressed a kiss to the sweet smelling locks. Nic smiled up at him before turning back to the numerous displays of nursery sets on the shelves; Nic leaned back and rested herself against Sal’s solid frame, enjoying the warmth that he provided and allowing him to take some of her weight to reduce the strain on her back and feet.   
“You feeling okay baby?” Sal asked as he slid a long arm around her waist, his fingers coming to rest on the edge of her bump, stroking lightly through the thin material of her t shirt.   
“Just achy and tired….but really horny.” She murmured and a slight shiver ran through Sal’s body at the mention of his wife being horny, once again- they had only managed to leave the house after he had brought her to three orgasms and he knew that he would be called into action again once they were home.   
“Maybe a nice cool shower when you get home and then I’ll rub all your achy parts.” Sal offered, pulling her closer to his body whilst they stood looking at nursery sets.  
“Sound amazing.” Nic agreed with a soft sigh.   
“What do you think about this one?” Nic asked a minute or so later, her fingers brushing the soft cotton of a curtain printed with rabbits and ducks.  
“I prefer that one.” Sal stated, pointing to a pale green set with cartoon jungle animals on. “If we get this one then we can look at the pale cotton brush with the moss green accents. It would look good with the dark wood furniture.”  
“Do you think we could get all of this delivered? I really need to go home now.” Nic almost whined and Sal took pity on his heavily pregnant wife and nodded before guiding her towards the service desk, the names of his purchases written down on the order form. 

By the time Sal had kicked off his shoes and closed the front door, Nic was sprawled in the middle of the sofa, her shoes still on.  
“Sal I can't bend to kick my shoes off and my feet are swollen.” Nic almost cried and Sal, being the ver loving and attentive husband that he was, immediately knelt at her feet and carefully prised off her Converse.  
“As much as I love our son, I wish he would hurry up. I want my body back.” Nic groaned, sinking herself deeper into the sofa as her feet were released from the trappings of her shoes.  
“Do you want a shower babe? Then I can rub some oil into your body, might ease your aches.”   
“Sounds good…help me up?” She asked, holding out a hand for Sal to help heave her up from their sofa.  
Standing under the spray, Nic moaned as the cool water washed over her skin however she felt like she was missing something and turned to Sal who was still in the bathroom.   
“You joining me?” Nic asked, popping her head around the glass shower door to chat to her husband.   
“No am gonna lay some towels on the bed for when you get out.” Before Nic could ask anything else, she watched her husband beat a hasty retreat from the bathroom. She turned back into the cool water and closed the glass door, relishing the feel of the water as it chilled her stretched, aching skin; she rested her hand on the shower wall and leant against it whilst using her other hand to rub her swollen stomach, her little boy stretching and rolling around inside. She frowned as she thought of why Sal hadn't joined her in the shower however her thoughts were quickly banished by the scent of her shower gel- her thoughts never staying on a subject for any length of time, ‘baby brain’ was clearly getting to her.

Entering the bedroom, mostly dried and wearing Sal’s towelling robe- however it didn't quite conceal her bump. She found Sal sitting with his back to the headboard on the bed, his iPad in his hands as he laughed quietly at the screen, and failed to notice her presence.  
“Whatcha doing?” Nic asked, sitting on the end of the bed with a sigh, her hand snaking between the folds of her robe to stroke her stretched skin softly.   
“Just watching some stuff on YouTube.” Sal replied, not taking his eyes from his iPad. Nic shrugged off Sal’s robe and then stood up, walking to Sal’s side of the bed and grabbed her bottle of cocoa butter moisturiser; she had been rubbing it into her body every day to try and limit the amount of stretch marks she got during pregnancy.   
Sitting back on the end of the bed, Nic uncapped the tub and scooped out a generous amount of cocoa butter before blobbing it onto her bump, using both hands to spread the butter around, her fingers working it into her skin and enjoying the way her bump moved as her son wriggled round, what looked like elbows and knees creating unusual shapes under the skin.  
“Hey little guy…do you like it when I do that?” Nic asked her bump softly, tracing the outline of an elbow or knee as it pressed against her skin, making her navel protrude. She spent the next fifteen minutes rubbing her bump and breasts with cocoa butter whilst interacting with   
her unborn son, whilst Sal was still glued to his iPad. 

Snuggling into the sofa, Nic flicked the remote and chuckled as Impractical Jokers came on the tv- usually Sal didn't like to watch it so she didn't ether but she always wanted to see what the guys got up to and how it differed from their real life and the pranks they pulled on each other. Grabbing her phone she pulled up blank message and began to type.

Sender: Nic  
Message: Hey B, what you up to? X

Sender: BQ  
Message: Heeeyyy. How's my fave preggo? I'm at home, feeling bit low. X

Sender: Nic  
Message: I feel fat, achy and unattractive. I think I've reached the unfanciable point with Sal. Wanna come hang? X

Sender: BQ  
Message: Don't be daft. You're gorgeous!! Where’s Sal? Got any popcorn? X

Sender: Nic  
Message: Sal upstairs, glued to his iPad. I need a friend at the mo, a guy friend. Got salted or sweet. See you soon. X

Sender: BQ  
Message: Won't be long. X

Nic put down her phone and smiled, looking forward to spending a bit of time with Brian, the pair of them becoming super close with him being Sal’s best friend. She hugged a pillow closer to her chest and rested her head on it, her eyes glued to the tv as she watched her husband and his best friends attempt to teach team building to groups of strangers, the image of her husband with Joe riding on his back as a ‘trust donkey’ made her giggle into the cushion.   
The end of the episode came around just as the front door opened, Brian letting himself into the house.  
“That you Bri?” Nic called from the sofa and grinned when she saw his shaggy haired, smiling face appear in the doorway.  
“Hey Hun, how's my nephew doing?” Brian asked as he sat himself down on the sofa next to Nic, looking round the room with a frown, taking note that his best friend was nowhere to be seen.   
“He’s not as active as he was the other week, I think he’s readying himself for coming out.” Nic smiled nervously at Brian and they both chuckled.  
“Are you ready for him to come out?” He asked and then grinned when she paled and looked even more nervous than she did a moment ago.   
“I’m terrified. I’ve been reading all the books and I’ve been going to the classes with Bessy but…”  
“Why hasn't Sal been going?” Brian asked, his dark brows drawn in confusion as he wondered why his best friend hadn’t been attending the birthing classes with his wife.  
“He didn't want to be in the room with that many pregnant women; he said it would probably be better if he wasn't there for the birth and Bessy offered.” Brian stared at Nic and as her pale blue eyes met his, he felt his heart swell and leant forward, wrapping his long arms around her, bringing her close to his chest and hugging that little bit tighter when he felt her sigh into his neck.  
“You looked like you needed one.” Brian murmured and smiled softly when Nic nodded into his neck.  
“I’m so tired and achy and I think I’m just so overwhelmed.”  
“Are you scared?”  
“I’m terrified.” Nic admitted but pulled her head from Brian’s neck when she realised that she was about to soak him with her tears.   
“Aww honey. Don't cry. Sal won't shag you if you cry all the time.” Brian teased however his grin disappeared when Nic admitted that she thought Sal was going off her because she was so big.  
“You're bloody gorgeous. Is he upstairs?” Nic nodded so Brian disengaged himself from Nic and stood up.  
“I’m gonna have a word with him… I’ll be back in a bit.” He leant down and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead before exiting the room and heading up the stairs, leaving Nic to once more snuggle back into the sofa and continue watching the tv. She rubbed her bump softly, trailing her fingers lightly over the stretched skin, enjoying the sensations and chuckling as her little boy wiggled inside. She pulled the cushion she was cuddling earlier, back to her chest and focused on the tv once more, hoping that Brian managed to have a good conversation with her husband and find the reason for his sudden bad mood, when they’d had such a nice morning shopping and spending time together- especially as they only had six weeks left of being alone together.


	6. Still 34 weeks pregnant

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brian leaves and Sal and Nic finally talk.

Brian had just left the house, after popping in to see Nic again before he left and informed her that he thought that maybe she should go and talk to Sal. Taking his advice, Nic left it an hour or so and then slowly climbed the stairs, her breath coming in short pants by the time she was only at the middle of the climb. After a quick pause she continued on, reaching the top a few minutes later and then slowly waddling along the hallway to their closed bedroom door.   
Opening the door, she tentatively popped her head round and found Sal still sitting on the bed in the same position he had been earlier however his iPad was laying on her pillow and instead he had a book in his hands.  
“Hey.” Nic greeted softly, not wanting to set her husband off if he was still in a bit of a mood.  
“Hey.” Sal returned the greeting tentatively however Nic could see that he seemed deep in thought and as she entered the bedroom she saw that he was reading her baby book that was usually on her bedside table.  
“Can we talk?” Nic asked, perching herself on the edge of the bed on the opposite side to Sal, her pale blue eyes looking at her husband however she swallowed hard to try and rid herself of the lump that had formed in her throat, coupled with a small amount of nervousness.   
“I guess so.” Sal agreed and closed the book on his lap, placing it on his night table and then turning his sludgy green gaze to his heavily pregnant wife.  
The couple spent a minute or two in total silence as they both studied anything other than each other until Nic sighed, causing Sal to look up.  
“Are you happy Salvatore?” The use of his full first name made Sal frown and his heart begin to thud in his chest, an anxious feeling starting to bubble up through him as he looked at his wife and noticed just how tired and unhappy she looked.  
“Honestly?”  
“Yes.” Nic clarified, needing to know if her husband was as unhappy as he seemed to be- for the last week or two he had been supportive and caring but she could see that he was trying really hard to look happy and she knew that he wasn't, she had been with him long enough now to know when he was faking it.  
“No I'm not happy.” He sighed and looked away, not being able to bear the devastated look in her pale blue eyes. He knew he would have to explain but he feared that his careless words had destroyed the happy bubble that their marriage had been in so far.   
“Let me explain before you start thinking about divorce.” Sal murmured, looking at Nic an feeling his heart constrict even more as he saw her with one hand on her bump, the other hand to her mouth as she chewed her thumb nail whilst tears streamed silently from her watery blue eyes.  
“I am so anxious and nervous that I feel like I’ll never be happy again. You are spending your days in pain, uncomfortable to the point that you can't even sleep at night and you're doing all of this for me and I’m terrified.”  
“Sal?”  
“I love you…I love you so much but this is scaring the fucking life out of me.” Sal explained but before he could say anything further he felt himself start the panic, the enormity of what was happening in his life and the fact that he was explaining it to the love of his life made him breathless.   
“I can't…I….Nic….I….” Nic watched her husband as he headed into a full blown panic attack and as much as she didn't feel strong enough to deal with this, it was part of her duty as his wife to try and help.   
“Sal look at me.” She ordered, standing up from the bed and making her way around to his side as quickly as she could, placing both hand son his stubbled cheeks to try and get him to focus.  
“Sal… Sal…Salvatore!” She shouted and was pleased to see that his eyes opened a fraction, his green eyes looking watery and his face pale and clammy, sweat beading his brow.  
“I can't breathe.” Sal gasped quietly, laying his head back against the wall and closing his eyes once more, so with a deep breath, Nic managed to get herself onto the bed and straddle her husband’s knees, bringing both hands back to his stubbled cheeks.  
“Sal you need to look at me baby.” Sal’s eyes opened once more but this time they opened fully and Nic could see how scared he looked and it broke her heart. It had been months since they had dealt with anything like this and she had been really proud of how well he had managed, but clearly whatever was preying on his mind was getting the better of him and playing on his anxieties.   
“Nic..I'm sorry…I'm so sorry…” Sal breathed before leaning forward and burying his head in her neck.  
“Sal come on…breathe with me. Follow my chest whilst you're laying there.” Nic coaxed and began to take slow deep breaths and after a couple of seconds Nic smiled and ran her hands through the short hair at the back of Sal’s head as he started to match her breathing.  
“That’s it baby… Nice and slow.” Nic could feel water sliding down the skin of her neck and it took her a moment to realise that Sal was crying into her neck; she pulled back and looked at her husband and felt tears begin to flow down her face once more.  
“Oh Sal… Come on honey. Let it out and then we can talk.” She watched as Sal allowed the tears to fall for a few more moments before wiping his eyes on his hands and then casting his watery gaze over his upset looking wife.   
“Nic I'm so sorry. I love you and out son so much…I'm just so scared I'm going to be a shit husband and an even shitter dad.” Sal murmured and then hung his head however Nic gripped his chin lightly and forced his eyes to meet hers.  
“Salvatore Edward Anthony Vulcano, you are a wonderful husband. I am proud to be your wife and I’m even prouder to be carrying your child. Parenting doesn't come with rules and this is a first for both of us so we’re going to figure this out together.” Nic leant forward and pressed a soft kiss to her husband’s lips.  
“How can I make you happy?” Nic asked after spending a minute or so with her forehead rested against her husband’s, the pair of them just enjoying the sound of each other’s breathing.  
“You make me happier than I have ever been however I am so worried and anxious about the baby and the birth and about not being as supportive as I could be that I am making myself so unhappy. I want to enjoy the experience of our first child but seeing you in pain and being permanently uncomfortable isn't sitting very well with my anxiousness.” Sal explained and it all made sense to Nic, as she understood Sal better than he understood himself most times.  
“You need to talk to me baby, I can't read your mind. If you have a problem then we need to talk about it because then we can avoid situations like this one.” Sal nodded and cupped Nic’s cheeks before pressing a soft kiss to her lips, his hands moving from her cheeks to skim her sides and then rest on her bump.   
“I’m sorry I had a panic attack.” Sal murmured against her lips, his eyes closed as he let out a ragged breath.   
“Baby it’s fine. You’ve been bottling thing up for a while so they needed to come out and you panicked. But we dealt with it and everything is fine again.”   
Sal stared deeply into his wife’s eyes, his hands still cupping her bump, is long thumbs brushing soothing circles on the stretched skin and he wanted to believe her words so much; if Nic said everything would be fine then he really desperately wanted to believe her.


	7. Labour Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nic goes into labour and Sal has his doubts

“I think I’m in labour.” Nic balanced herself in the doorway of the living room and groaned, making the two men that were sitting on the sofa to stare at each other and then her in shock.  
“What now?” Sal asked, his green eyes wide with fear whilst Brian smiled encouragingly.  
“No next week.” Nic growled at her husband but found her sarcastic comment rewarded with a deep ache in her back and front simultaneously.  
“Ohhhh.” She moaned softly and both men stood, however before they old make it to Nic she let out a gasp and the sound of trickling water could be heard, all three occupants of the room looking to the floor and observing the pool of water at Nic’s feet.  
“Guess he wants out.” Brian chuckled, advancing towards Nic in his usual cool, calm manner however Sal had yet to say anything else, his eyes still wide and his chest heaving as he contemplated his wife and the situation he was now in.   
“Sal?” Brian asked, looking at his best friend and noticing that he was on the verge of a panic attack. Needing to stop it before it got out of hand, Brian turned back and gripped Sal by the shoulders, forcing the younger Joker to meet his eyes and Brian noted how dilated they seemed.  
“Sal you need to focus buddy.”  
“I am…I’m here…I just…oh fuck…she’s…we’re…” Sal ran his hands over his face however left them over his eyes, almost trying to block out the events that were happening right in front of him; he found out though that no amount of hiding from the situation was going to stop his child from coming, a notion which was never more clear than when Nic let out a chest ripping groan of pain.  
“Sal…Please.” Nic cried and both men turned to her, watching as she gripped onto the doorframe for dear life, her knees threatening to crumble under her weight and the pain running through her body.   
Sal ran to his wife and grabbed hold of her, allowing her to wrap her arms around him for support.  
“I’ll grab your bag and start the car.” Brian offered and then busied himself with sorting things out whilst Nic clung onto Sal, her face sweaty and red as another contraction rippled through her body. 

The nurses had laid Nic onto a hospital bed and were in the process of taking off her shoes and leggings, leaving Sal and Brian outside the room- the former pacing up and down wringing his hands whilst the latter had sat himself in a chair lining the corridor, looking as calm now as he had before Nic’s waters had broken.   
“Sal you need to calm down, she needs you dude.”  
“I can't. I can't go in there Q.” Sal moaned, wiping his sweaty palms on the legs of his trousers, however never stopping his pacing.   
“Dude she is giving birth to your son…the least you can do is hold her hand whilst she does it.” Brian reasoned, and although Sal nodded in understand he still disagreed with the notion of going into the birthing room with his wife.  
“Bessy was supposed to be doing this part.” Sal admitted and Brian watched as his best friend sat himself in the chair next to him, his elbows on his knees and his face hidden from view by his hands.   
“Sally come on… She is about to push another human being out of her, don't you think you could be man enough for once to put aside your fears and support her? This is your baby dude, you helped create this little fella.”   
“Don't you think I know this?” Sal spat at his best friend, his eyes hard as he watched the bearded Joker sit up a little straighter at his tone.  
“Hey!” Brian warned but Sal continued.  
“Don't you think I know that she is giving birth to my son? Don't you think I already feel like the biggest fucking failure in the world? She is in there in so much pain and I’m out here scared out of my fucking mind because my phobias are taking over and I don't know what to do.” Before Brian could answer his friend, the door to Nic’s room opened and a nurse popped her head out.  
“Mr Vulcano?”  
“That’s him.” Brian pointed to Sal when it became clear that Sal wasn't going to identify himself.  
“Your wife is asking for you.” The cheery nurse relayed however didn't wait for a reply before heading back into Nic’s room, leaving Brian to watch his friend battle his inner demons.  
“If you don't go in then you’ll regret it for the rest of your life.” Brian stated but then watched with a little bit of pride in his eyes as his best friend stood up and headed to the door.  
“I’ll be out here waiting for you to show me your son.” Brian finished and then smiled encouragingly at Sal, watching the younger Joker enter the birthing room to offer his wife support.

Gazing upon his wife, from his position at the door, Sal felt his insides shudder; there she lay undressed from the waist down, a thin vest top covering her top half, her auburn hair was pulled back into a loose bun however numerous tendrils had escaped, the dampness of her face causing them to curl.  
“Sal…I need you.” She moaned, holding out a hand to her husband and her heart sinking just a little when he hesitated.   
“Right Sal, if you could stand by the head of the bed, we’re gonna check Nic’s dilation and then hopefully start pushing your son into the world.” The cheery nurse instructed and so with lead feet, Sal made his way to the head of the hospital bed but couldn't hold back the grimace when Nic’s sweaty hand made its way into his, her grip already strong.   
The nurse popped her head up from between Nic’s thighs and grinned at Nic.  
“Right Nic, let’s bring your little one into the world.” Nic smiled and gasped and then gritted her teeth as a strong contraction took over her body, her small hand squeezing the life out of Sal’s in an effort to control the pain.  
“Right Nic on the next contraction I want you to push… Push from your bottom, like you're going to the toilet.” Sal’s eyes widened in panic at the sound of the instructions however he didn't have a moment to compose himself before he felt his hand being squeezed until the bones ground together, a deep grunting noise coming from Nic as she grit her teeth and pushed.   
“Oh god.” Gasped Nic, laying her head back on the pillow behind her.  
“Nic you're hurting my hand.” Sal moaned weakly however swallowed audibly when she turned to glare at him.  
“And I'm currently pushing your child out of my vagina, fucking deal!” She growled but once another contraction kicked in she stopped talking and pushed once more, her face red and sweating.  
“Salvatore Vulcano you are never touching me again.” She moaned, her entire body feeling like it was on fire, the pain radiating from her stomach and back, like white hot bolts of fire shooting to all her extremities.  
“That's it Nic, I can see the head. Nice big push now come on.” The nurse coached, breathing with Nic for a moment until another contraction took hold and then coaxing her to push hard, everything in her body tense and straining as she bore down and tried to push this child from her body.   
“That’s it baby… You're doing amazing. I'm in awe of you sweetheart.” Sal murmured into Nic’s ear and pressed a soft kiss to her sweaty forehead, needing to prove himself to both Nic and himself. 

“Last push Nic and your baby will be out…just the shoulders to push out.” The nurse coached but Nic could only lay her head against the pillow, exhausted from pushing out her baby.  
“I can't do it… I haven't got the strength.” She moaned weakly, her eyes closing as she rested for a moment, her body drained. Sal watched his wife and had never felt more proud of a human being in all his life, as he did of her right now.  
“You are the strongest person I know. One last push baby and you get to hold our son in your arms. One last push, you can do it baby.” Sal murmured softly into her ear, his lips tickling the sensitive shell lightly but knowing that it was enough to spur his wife on.  
With a final push, bearing down with all her might, Nic pushed her baby into the world and felt the tension leave her lower half once the nurse pulled him free- this action prompted a flurry of activity however the only thing Nic and Sal could hear was the first cry of their child, a sharp piercing sound which filled the room and their hearts instantly.  
“Nic, Sal… I’d like you to meet your son.” The nurse brought over a bundle wrapped in a white towel and placed it on Nic’s bump, ensuring the new mother had hold of the bundle before stepping back and allowing the new parents to greet their child.  
Sal and Nic looked down at the bloody, wriggling form of their baby and found that they had never seen anything as beautiful or as perfect. Sal took a tentative seat on the edge of Nic’s bed and very carefully unwrapped the towel, his long fingers disregarding the blood on his son as he delicately counted each finger and toe, smiling softly as the tiny body wriggled and stretched.   
“He’s perfect sweetheart.” Sal gasped, his sludgy green orbs now filled with tears as he gazed between his wife and his new son, his face filled with wonder and amazement; this tiny life in his wife’s hands now depended on him to give him a good life.  
“I love you so much.” Sal murmured, leaning forward to press a soft kiss to Nic’s lips, the contact seeming to melt away any of the stresses of just a few moments ago.  
“Hold him Sal. Greet your son… And let Brian greet his nephew.” Nic murmured, knowing that the nurses needed to clean her up and she didn't want Sal witness to any of that.   
The mesmerised Joker ever so carefully scooped up his son and cradled him in the crook of his left arm, re-covering the tiny body with the towel before holding the baby that little bit closer to his chest before heading to the door of the room.  
Opening the door, Sal stared out and noticed that his best friend was still sitting in the same seat he had left him in, however this time he had a cardboard cup and a magazine on his lap.  
“Brian Michael Quinn, come meet your godson.” Brian stared at Sal, his chocolate brown orbs wide as his gaze shifted from Sal to the bundle in his arms.  
“My godson?” He asked dumbly and Sal grinned before moving the two paces across the hall to sit with Brian, revealing his tiny, bloodied son to his best friend.  
“This is my son.” Sal murmured and Brian wasn't sure whether he was announcing it or convincing himself but either way grinned, having waited a long time to see this image, his best friend happy and complete.   
"So what you going to call him?" Brian asked, taking in the tiny bundle nestled against his best friend- he noted the cute button nose, the thick dark hair and as if on cue, the little boy cracked open an eye and Brian was treat to the most beautifully crystal blue eyes he had ever witnessed on a human being. Brian had a feeling they would change however for now they were hypnotic.  
"We haven't decided on a name...we wanted to see what he looked like." Sal murmured, now also captivated by the open eyes of his son and Brian felt a lump forming in his throat as he watched the bonding.


	8. Home time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sal and Nic bring home their baby..... And decide on a name

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for this only being a short chapter but I wanted to just focus on Sal and Nic and the first moments at home wtith the baby.

Standing by the side of the hospital bed, Sal observed his wife and his son and felt his heart swell in his chest.   
“You got everything babe?” Sal asked, moving towards his son, who lay in his car seat, his brilliant blue eyes appearing to take in everything that was going on.  
“Yeah I’m all set.” Nic smiled softly at her husband before moving to pick up her bag, but found herself immediately stopped by Sal, his dark brows drawn as he plucked the bag from her hands.  
“You're not to be carrying anything. You're in charge of leading the way.” Chuckled Sal, the bag on his shoulder as he gripped the handle of the car seat securely and hoisted his little boy from the heights of the hospital bed. Nic smiled softly at her husband, enjoying the proud father look he was wearing and pressed a featherlight kiss to his lips before exiting the room, walking slowly and allowing Sal to follow very closely behind. 

Arriving home, Sal helped Nic out of the car before opening the door to the back and grabbing the bag and then the baby, locking everything up before following his wife into their home, a tiny ball of nerves bouncing around inside his stomach as he closed the front door behind him. This was it. They were now solely responsible for the tiny human currently laying asleep in the car seat.   
Placing the car seat on the coffee table, Sal took a seat next to Nic on the sofa and the pair stared at the sleeping baby for a few minutes, both of them lost in their own thoughts regarding their offspring.  
“He needs a name.” Nic murmured, laying her head on Sal’s shoulder and enjoying the scent of her husband and the warmth of his skin.  
“I know…have you given it any thought?” Sal asked, turning his head to press a soft kiss to Nic's auburn locks, his hand moving to rest on her knee, giving the flesh an affectionate squeeze before leaving it there, allowing the feel of her to soothe him.  
“I’ve narrowed it down to my two favourites, I was thinking about this last night when he was feeding and you had gone home.” Nic explained and Sal smiled, knowing that his wife would have been thinking all night about the perfect name for their little boy, something he could grow up with and something that would carve out his own identity in the world.  
“I had a think too…I couldn't sleep…the bed was empty and you know I don't sleep well without you.” Sal admitted, causing Nic to press her head a little closer into his body.  
“What’s your two favourites?” Sal asked, his ears ready to listen to his wife whilst his eyes couldn't stop drinking in the sweet features of his sleeping son.  
“I really like Noah but I also really like Benjamin.”  
“We are not naming my son after Brian’s cat… We’re not naming him anything to do with cats.” Sal huffed and Nic giggled lightly, Benjamin not registering as the name of Brian’s cat.  
“Well what do you like?” Nic asked, her brows slightly drawn as she tried to keep an open mind about her husband’s naming choices.  
“I really like Finnley… He could be a Finn or a Finnley… Finnley Edward Anthony Vulcano. What do you think?” Sal waited and waited however Nic didn't make a sound for a good minute or two, causing Sal to worry however when he turned to look at her, he noticed that she had tears streaming down her cheeks, her pale blue eyes drowning.  
“Babe? If you don't like it we can go with Noah.” Sal tried to reason but quickly stopped when he saw his wife shake her head before wiping away her tears with the back of her hand.  
“It’s perfect. You're perfect.” She murmured and then angled her head to press her lips to Sal’s, enjoying the contact- the first time they had really kissed since the morning before, the pair then not having chance for the rest of the day as Nic had gone into labour.

Nic had Been gone just over an hour for a nap, leaving Sal alone with the newly named Finnley, who was still for the mot parts asleep, however was doing an awful lot of wiggling and squirming, his little face starting to screw up.   
“Hey little dude, don't be doing that. Mummy needs her rest, it wasn't easy pushing you out.” Sal murmured softly to the sleeping babe however his words didn't need to be doing too much to calm the squirming baby and his attempts were rewarded with a number of small whimpers.   
“Guessing you're a little fed up of being in there hey?” Sal murmured again and then in a fit of bravery he unbuckled the straps of the car seat and very carefully lifted out his newborn son, immediately cradling him in his arms, the fingers of his right hand softly stroking the peachy skin. The whimpering immediately stopped however Sal found himself gasping softly when Finnley opened his eyes and stared directly into his father’s sludgy green orbs.  
“Hey Finnley…yeah that’s your name. Finnley Edward Anthony Vulcano. What do you think of that?” Baby Finnley wriggled and smacked his lips before once more regarding his father with his unwavering cerulean gaze.   
“Okay I guess that means you approve. Well I guess whilst mummy is asleep, we should talk. Get to know each other.” Sal watched adoringly as his son waved a fist before almost tucking himself into his side, like he was getting comfortable before their chat. Sal watched his movements for a moment and then he came to a realisation. Deciding to test his theory he spoke again.  
“Hey Finnley, do you remember my voice? Yeah this is your daddy speaking bud.” Finnley proceeded to wriggle once more and Sal gave a delighted chuckle as he watched his son; most evenings Sal would lay his head on Nic’s bump and talk to his son and every time he did, Finnley moved inside, usually hitting Sal in the head with a body part.  
“So you know me huh? Right well…I'm not sure how all of this goes yet bud, I'm as new to this father game as you are to the son game.”   
“But you're going to be amazing.” Nic added, causing Sal to whip his head round and stare at his deliciously rumpled, but tired looking wife.  
“Did you manage to sleep a bit?” Sal asked, his eyes scanning Nic to make sure she looked okay as she approached father and son where they sat on the sofa. She sat next to Sal and curled herself against his side, staring down at Finnley.  
“He is so perfect.” She murmured and Sal could only agree.   
“He knows my voice… Every time I spoke he would wriggle in my arms and it took me a moment to figure it out but then I realised that he was reacting to my body heat and the sound of my voice, he wriggled and stretched just like he did every night when I spoke to him in bed.” Nic watched her husband and felt her heart swell as she saw how enthusiastic he was about everything, and Finnley was only a day old.   
“Of course he’ll know you honey, you've spoken to him almost every night since you read he was old enough to hear.” Nic reasoned and pressed a soft kiss to Sal’s cheek before laying her head down on his shoulder and just basking in the love of her little family.


	9. Sleepless nights

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finnley is not letting his parents sleep

Finnley Edward Anthony Vulcano was 57 days old and had managed to scream his little lungs out for 49 of those 57 days much to his mother and fathers consternation. Sal had just put Finnley down for the night and then crept his way out of the room, needing to climb into bed beside his equally exhausted wife and sleep.   
“Is he asleep?” Nic asked, already under the duvet in the dark room, watching her husband as he entered and then quickly shed all of his clothes barring his boxer shorts before sliding under the duvet.  
“Yeah but for how long God only knows.” Sal muttered, sliding his arms around his wife’s waist and pressing his front to her back, his head sinking into the pillow and his eyes always half way shut.  
“Night baby.” Sal mumbled and found he couldn't even stay awake long enough to listen to Nic bid him goodnight.   
“Night sweetheart.” Nic murmured, placing her hand over Sal’s and allowing her thumb to brush over the warm metal of his wedding band. As she closed her eyes she let her mind wander to her husband and their marriage and she realised that this was the only time they actually spent together- Sal was working on another season of Impractical Jokers so was gone most of the day and sometimes the night, and when he came home he took over from Nic with looking after Finnley, so they could eat and then by that point both were too tired to do anything more than put him down to sleep and then try and catch an hour or two before he woke again.  
The piercing scream of a baby through the tinny speakers of a baby monitor woke Sal and Nic up and they both groaned. Sal looked at the clock and moaned.  
“We’ve managed to sleep a grand total of three hours.” Sal grumbled, throwing back the duvet and climbing out of bed, not bothering to slip on his dressing robe, instead just padding along to the nursery to greet his screaming son.   
Picking up the screaming baby, Sal sighed wth relief when he quietened somewhat once pressed against his chest.  
“Hey bud, there’s no need for all that noise.” Sal shushed the whimpering infant as he walked along the hallway back to the bedroom, knowing that Nic would be sitting up and waiting for him.  
Entering the bedroom, Sal handed his son over to Nic and then sat himself on the side of the bed, watching as his wife sleepily pulled out her breast and allowed Finnley to latch on, resting her head against the headboard however her attention was brought back to her husband when he cleared his throat softly.  
“Maybe we should start using formula honey? He seems to be hungry all the time and maybe the formula will fill him up and then he might sleep a little longer.” Nic stared at Finnley for a moment and watched as he sucked on her nipple with gusto before looking to her husband, who looked totally exhausted.  
“I don't want to lose the special bond we have when I breast feed.” Nic murmured, stroking Finnley’s soft cheek as he fed.  
“But we can't keep living like this. I'm trying to film a new season and then coming home to him and then trying to survive on only a couple of hours sleep a night. Nic I can't do it.” Sal stared at his wife and tried to convey his emotions through his words and his eyes but clearly they were both too tired to understand what the other was saying.  
“So you're basically saying I have to stop breastfeeding?” Nic asked and Sal sighed, taking note of the irritation in her voice and praying that they weren't headed for an argument because he sincerely didn't think he could reign in his temper on so little sleep.   
“You don't have to but I think it might be beneficial to us actually getting some sleep.” Sal stated and ran a hand over his face, knowing that he was in no condition to discuss this.   
“So we sacrifice the early years of our child so that you can have a few more hours of shut eye?” Nic spat and Sal stood up, holding his hands out in surrender, knowing that he needed to stop this before it became something completely out of proportion.   
“I don't want to argue Nic, I’m too tired and we’re both not thinking rationally or logically.” Sal climbed into bed and turned his back on Nic, pulling the duvet up around his waist and then closed his eyes, avoidance being his only strategy at the moment.   
“That’s right, you grab some more sleep whilst I'm here feeding your son…it’s okay, clearly I don't need as much sleep as you.” Sal groaned but didn't say anything else on the subject, when Nic was tired she became chewy and their relationship really didn't need that at the moment. 

A week later and things between Nic and Sal had been strained. Both got up in the middle of the night with Finnley however they didn't exchange many words and usually Sal fell asleep before Nic had finished feeding.   
That evening on his way home from shooting, Sal called into the local baby store and purchased two different tins of newborn baby formula as well as a pack of bottles with teats that replicated a female nipple when in the mouth; he had made the decision and it was time to start weaning Finnley from breast milk and allow Sal and Nic to actually start getting their life and their marriage back on track.  
Walking through the door, Sal was surprised to smell food already cooking and to come home to a quiet house with no baby crying.  
“Hey am home.” Sal greeted a little softer than normal, not wanting to wake Finnley if he was asleep, or startle Nic if she was busy.  
“Hey honey…how was your day?” Nic greeted her husband and walked up to him, putting the tea towel over her shoulder before cupping Sal’s face between her hands and then pressing a soft, lingering kiss on his lips.  
“Mmm hello wife. Now that I have missed.” Sal murmured, wrapping his arms around her waist and holding her close for a little longer, enjoying the feel of her in his arms.   
“Dinner won't be long, hope you're hungry.” Nic smiled before pressing another quick kiss to Sal’s lips and then extricating herself from his arms to finish dinner.  
“You look rested… And little man isn't shouting the house down. What's changed?” Sal asked, following Nic into the kitchen as sliding his arms around her waist, not wanting to stop the contact now it had been offered.  
“You were right…we couldn't keep going the way we were. So I went to the store this morning after you had left for work and bought some formula and some bottles. He took to it straight away and has slept for most of the day. I think he’s full.” Sal pressed a soft, teasing kiss to Nic’s neck before chuckling into the soft skin.  
“I've done the exact same thing. I bought formula and bottles too on my way home from work.”   
“Great minds eh?” Nic chuckled and then turned off the oven before turning in Sal’s arms, enjoying the feel of her husband pressed against her for the first time since Finnley had been born.  
“I’m anticipating that he will sleep all night.” Nic grinned and Sal moaned joyously.  
“Do you actually mean that we can go to bed and possibly sleep all night together and then wake up together?” Nic nodded at her husband’s words before the pair giggled excitedly like teenagers- they both chuckled at the fact that they were so excited about getting a full nights sleep.


	10. Insecurities

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nic has some insecurities after birth

Rolling over in bed Sal realised that it was morning time and Finnley appeared to be still asleep. He grinned and shuffled himself further across the bed to slide an arm around Nic, pressing himself against her nightgown clad back.  
“Baby you awake?” Sal murmured, leaning forward to press a series of kisses along her bare shoulder, the thin spaghetti strap of her night gown revealing her creamy skin, which he was desperate to get reacquainted with.   
“Hmmm wassup?” Nic asked, stretching her body and inadvertently pressing her behind further into Sal’s now very awake crotch.  
“Well…”  
“Oh…I can feel what’s up.” Nic chuckled and ground her behind a little harder into Sal, delighting in his groan- the sound sending shivers through her body and making her nipples harden and her inner muscles clench.  
“Finnley is asleep, it’s been nearly eight weeks since we have been together. What do you say?” Sal asked, praying his wife would be agreeable to making love as he was finding it so difficult to lay next to her every night and not press himself into her body, like the days before their son.   
“Let me go to the bathroom first and then I’m all yours.” Nic murmured and slid her hand behind her, between their bodies and wrapped her fingers around her husband’s erection, enjoying the shiver and moan that he emitted at the contact.  
“Hurry up.” Sal gasped and then watched as Nic almost leapt from the bed and closed the door behind her in the ensuite, leaving him laying in bed with an erection and a lust which didn't seem to want to be quelled.  
A couple of minutes passed and Sal had removed his boxers, his hand lazily stroking his erection, when the door to the ensuite opened and he had to squeeze himself to stop himself from shooting his load right there. Nic stood in the doorway of the ensuite wearing nothing but a smile and Sal couldn't help but admire her new curves; her breasts were bigger and now bounced lightly when she walked, her hips were fuller and her stomach had a very soft swell to it- all changes which Sal couldn't get enough of.  
“Get here now.” Sal moaned and watched with his mouth slightly agape as she walked towards the bed before climbing onto it and immediately pressing her lips to Sal’s, her tongue wasting no time in exploring his mouth.   
“Baby let me taste you… It’s been so long.” Sal grunted, pulling his mouth from Nic’s however he paused when he saw the frightened look in her eyes.  
“What’s wrong?” He asked, his tone slightly nervous as he watched his brilliantly sexy and confident wife look suddenly self conscious and nervous.  
“What if it looks ugly? I pushed an eight pound baby out of there, it won't look the same.” Nic murmured and Sal had to bite his lip to stop himself from chuckling, knowing that her worries were unfounded because he knew that he would still love her and her intimate area regardless.   
“Baby don't be silly. I’m sure it looks perfect as always.” Sal tried to soothe her worries but could see that the frown on her face wasn't going away anytime soon.   
“Maybe I should have a look with a mirror first before you look?” Nic wondered and Sal grinned, an idea forming in his head.   
“Right- take off your panties and kneel or squat on the edge of the bed and I’ll go and get the mirror so you can see.” Sal smiled softly at Nic’s relieved look and climbed off the bed to head into the ensuite whilst still watching Nic, who had stripped off her panties and was now balanced on the edge of the bed, her knees spread wide in wait.   
Sal handed Nic the mirror and whilst she was positioning it in her hands he moved behind her and with lightening speed knelt down and slid his face between her spread knees, his face now level with her core and he couldn't resist immediately attaching his lips to her clit, his arms coming to wrap around her hips to keep her still.  
“Sal….oh god.” Nic cried and dropped the mirror on the bed in favour of running her fingers through her husband’s thick dark locks.  
“You are so fucking perfect.” Sal mumbled into her core before going back to work, licking and sucking at the tender flesh, his lips now coated in her essence and Nic had to resist the urge to grind down on Sal’s face.   
“Oh Sal, I’m so close.” Nic cried, shocked at how quickly she had arrived at climax, but then she realised that they hadn't coupled since Finnley was born and that was a long time for them to not take pleasure in each other.  
“That’s it baby, come for me.” Sal mumbled again and Nic couldn't stop her body from convulsing and found she had to stop herself from tearing out clumps of Sal’s hair.  
“Sal I need you in me baby.” Nic groaned and Sal chuckled before sliding out from under his wife, helping her to lay on the bed before settling himself above her, his hips bracketed by her thighs as they wound their way around his waist.  
“Go slow…it’s been a while.” Nic reminded him and he nodded before positioning himself at her entrance and then slowly sliding inside, his eyes focused on Nic’s face as her unused muscled stretched around him.  
“Sal…condom.” Nic gasped causing Sal to groan before he pulled himself from her body with agonising slowness.  
“Fuck!” Sal grunted before reaching into the bedside drawer and retrieving a very sparsely used condom from the pack, quickly rolling it on and then sinking himself back into his wife. 

The sound of a baby’s cries could be heard through the house as Sal and Nic laid on their backs, the pair of them gasping for breath.  
“That was fucking amazing.” Nic gasped and Sal nodded before rolling from the bed and retrieving his boxers.  
“I’ll get him.” Sal murmured, moving to Nic’s side of the bed and leaning over, grinning ridiculously at her gasping form before pressing a soft kiss to her lips.  
“It’s good to have my wife back.” He whispered against her lips and Nic felt her eyes tear up at his sweet words, one hand coming up to cup his stubbled cheek, her thumb brushing across his cheekbone.  
“It’s good to be back.” She whispered in reply before watching his broad back as he exited the bedroom in order to retrieve their crying son.


	11. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How Q-Bear came to be.

Rolling over in bed, Sal slid his arm along the bed in the hopes of encountering his wife’s deliciously warm naked body, however his hopes of rekindling what they had started the night before were dashed when he encountered nothing but cold bed, meaning she had been gone long enough for the bed to be cold.   
“Babe?” Sal sat up and looked around the room, noticing that there was a little bit of sunlight filtering through the blinds, meaning it was morning, however as he heard no noise he assumed that Finnley wasn't up- which was good because even though today was his second birthday, Sal was glad for all the sleep he got with his young son.   
Throwing back the duvet, Sal climbed out of bed and padded to the ensuite, relieving his bladder before grabbing his robe from the back of the door and sliding it on, the thick material soft and warm against his naked body as he went off in search of his wife.   
Passing by Finnley’s room, Sal popped his head just inside the door and smiled at the image of his sleeping son; his little body was laid on its back, his arms and legs starfishes across the bed with his Mickey Mouse duvet just say covering his bare feet. With a grin, Sal shook his head in exasperation at his little boy, amazed at how much he looked like himself when he was younger but also how much he behaved like him as well.   
Deciding he needed to seek out his wife, Sal silently backed out of the room and headed for the stairs, padding down them almost silently and what he saw made his heart almost burst with love.   
There in the living room, wearing nothing but the t shirt he had taken off the night before, was Nic- knelt by the fireplace- as she tacked a happy birthday banner to the mantel on the fireplace.   
“Baby?” Sal greeted as he entered the living room and felt his heart almost stop when Nic turned and flashed him a smile, her hair was piled messily atop of her head in a very messy bun and her face was devoid of any make up.  
“Hey.”  
“You look fucking gorgeous.” Sal breathed, approaching Nic and trailing his fingers along the back of her neck as she finished the banner.   
“Is he awake?” Nic asked, standing up and smiling at her husband, running her hand across his stubbled cheek before leaning up and pressing a soft kiss to his lips. The kiss didn't stay chaste for long as soon Sal was walking Nic backwards towards the sofa before laying her down and positioning himself above her.  
“You look so good in my shirt.” Sal murmured, twining a loose strand of her auburn hair around a finger as he stared deeply into her eyes.  
“You look good in that robe and I’m willing to bet you don't have anything on underneath it.” Before Sal could answer, Nic slid her hand inside his robe and giggled when she encountered Sal’s bare chest.  
“Hmm…I wonder if I will encounter any clothing if I go lower?” Nic grinned as she began to trail her hand lower inside Sal’s robe, loosening the belt on her way so that she was now hidden inside the folds of material.   
Sal groaned and buried his head into Nic’s neck, his lips tasting the soft warm skin there as her hand encountered his naked lower half.  
“I love you.” Nic breathed as her hand closed round her husband however before they could go any further, the sound of little footsteps could be heard padding along the wooden floor of the hallway.   
“Sounds like our little one is up. Rain check on this baby.” Sal murmured, pressing a soft kiss to Nic’s lips before removing himself from her hand and typing his robe- heading off the sofa and out of the living room to greet his son before he reached the stairs. 

Sitting on the sofa, Sal had Finnley on his knee as he tried to figure out a new fire engine he had gotten for his birthday.  
“Truck.” Sal stated, pointing to the plastic truck in Finnley’s hands and couldn't help but return the beautiful smile that his son bestowed on him.  
“Tuk.” Finnley tried to repeat.   
“Good boy.” Sal praised his son, proud that at just two years old he was able to repeat words and recognise things.   
A knock at the door made Sal sigh, knowing that his house would more than likely be invaded by every man and his child although he knew he shouldn't complain because they were coming to wish his child happy birthday.  
“I’ll get it.” Called Nic as she came from the kitchen, heading to the front door.  
“Brian.” Sal’s eyes turned to the living room doorway, wondering if it was his best friend and a smile graced his face when his best friend entered the living room, a bright blue wrapped present in his hand.  
“Hey dude.”  
“Hey Q. Hey Finn, look who is here. Uncle Brian.” Finnley turned his attention from the fire truck in his hands to the huge man coming towards him and his face broke out into the biggest, semi toothless grin he could muster. The fire truck was relinquished to land on the sofa as his two little arms shot up skyward.  
“Unca Kew. Unca Kew.” Brian chuckled at Finnley and laid the card and present on the sofa before reaching down and plucking his nephew from his father’s lap. The little boy wrapped both arms around Brian’s neck and snuggled his face into Brian’s bearded neck before moving his hands to Brian’s cheeks and patting them.   
“How you doing buddy? Happy birthday little man. I’ve got you something. Wanna see?” Finnley nodded so Brian moved both himself and Finnley back to the sofa, sitting the little boy on his knee and grabbing the blue wrapped present.  
Sal, Brian and Nic watched as Finnley patted the blue wrapping paper a couple of times, giggling when it crinkled. Brian tore off a little strip of paper, creating a small hole where Finnley could now get his fingers into and start actually unwrapping the present.   
After a couple of seconds, Finnley was holding a soft brown teddy bear wearing an FDNY jacket and hat. From the moment Finnley saw the bear he was instantly in love and brought the soft toy to his chest, pressing his face into the fur and jacket.  
“What is it Finn?” Nic asked, coming to sit on the arm of the sofa just behind her husband, watching as Finnley cuddled the bear and Brian at the same time.  
“Bear…Kew Bear.” Finnley muttered, his soft sweet voice muffled by the bear.  
“Q-Bear.” Sal smiled at his best friend before turning his head and smiling at his wife, placing his hand on her knee when he saw tears coming to her eyes at the sweetness of the situation. 

Climbing into bed that night, Nic smiled at her husband as he settled beside her.   
“It’s being a lovely day hasn't it.” She stated and Sal smiled, glad that the day had gone well and Finnley had seemed to have a really lovely day interacting with everyone. However he did seem very attached to the teddy bear that Brian had brought him.   
“It's been lovely but I’m glad everyone has gone home.” Sal stated as he snuggled down under the duvet, reaching out to wrap his arms around Nic and bring her close to his chest, laying a soft kiss on the skin between her neck and shoulder.  
“Fancy finishing off what we started this morning?” Sal murmured into her ear, pressing himself closer to her semi nude body.  
“Mmm you know I do.” Nic gasped before turning in Sal’s arms and pressing her lips to his, delighting in the feel of her husband.


End file.
